Something That I Already Know
by monkeerangerfan
Summary: An old friend of Duncan's and Connor's shows up out of the blue. Starts at the beginning of the series.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Highlander. I am making no money from this. This is for entertainment only.

**Takes place during first episode**

I picked up the phone to call an old friend. I first tried him at his adoptive daughter's place to see if he was there on business or a family visit. I listened to the ringing as I waited for Rachel to answer on her end. After five rings someone picked up.

"Hello," the voice of Rachel greeted.

"Rachel, its Maggie. How's everything?" I inquired, happily.

"Very well. Thanks for asking," the much younger woman replied.

"Good. Have you seen Connor?" I inquired again.

"No, not lately. Have you tried his place?" she replied.

"Not yet. I just thought I'd try you first, because I know how fond he is of you," I told her.

"Well, if you get a hold of him, tell him to call me," she request of me.

"Sure. Talk to you soon," I stated before I put the phone back in its cradle.

I called Connor's mainline and wait for him to answer. But it went directly to his answering machine.

_"Hey this is Russell Nash. I'm out of town for a family emergency. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as possible,"_ came the mixed accent of the older highlander.

"Damn!" I swore and hung up the phone without leaving a message.

I thought for a moment he said he had a family emergency. It had nothing to do with Rachel, because he would have been there when I called if anything was wrong. The thought hit me like a bolt of lightening! He is in Washington with Duncan. There is only one reason he would call seeing Duncan as an emergency: someone is after Duncan and believes that the younger MacLeod needs help especially after not participating in the game for 12 years.

I grabbed the beige colored phone and quickly dialed Duncan's number. I wait a little patiently until someone answered.

"Hello," a woman with a French accent answered. It must be Tessa. I've heard some much about her. Duncan must really care about her to stay out of the game as long as he has.

"Hello, you must be Tessa. I've heard so much about you. I'm an old friend of Duncan's. Is he there?" I questioned without any concern in my voice.

"Yes, he is. Hold on one moment. Mac!" She called.

I heard in the back round someone say what. "There's someone on the phone for you."

"Who is it?" was his response.

"He wants to know who you are," she asked for him.

"Tell him it's Maggie Amherst," I told her.

"She says her name is Maggie," I heard her say. I guess he said he would take it because she came back on the phone, "He's coming. Hold on one moment."

"OK," I said.

"Hey Maggs! How's it going?" he queried full of energy.

"Not much. Just thought I'd get a hold. By the by has anyone of **our kind **spokenwith you?" I posed to him. Hoping he doesn't know what is really up with me.

"No and I'm glad, you know what I mean," he relayed. Hearing the happiness in his voice, I knew nothing was up. Yet.

I struggled inwardly about telling him about Connor's answering machine, but decided not to. Because if Connor's on his way to Seacouver, Duncan will find out soon enough and of course it could be nothing. He could have just phrased it that way so he would be left alone.

"Good and I do what you mean," I agreed, laughing.

"Is something wrong, Maggie?" he asked, concern in his voice. He figured it out. Dammit!

"No," I lied. "I hadn't talked to you in a long time I just wanted to make sure you still had your head."

"You sure?" Damn him. We grew up together, even though he's eight years my senior, and he knows me like the back of his hand.

"I'm sure," I fibbed.

"OK," he stated with disbelief in his voice. But then he changed his tune. "How are the grandchildren doing?"

"Fine, really fine. Some of them act like me. Surprise! Surprise, right," I joked.

"That's good." He laughed.

"Well, I've checked in on you. I've got a lot to do know and without any worries. Talk to you later. Don't be shy! Call me every once in while!" I suggested before I ended the call.

"Talk to you later as well. I've got get back to my job of running this place," he jested as he ended the call.

I sat done at the couch next to the phone and sighed with relief at knowing that my old friend was OK for now and will be if Connor's on his way there.

"Why is it whenever I try to get a hold of that man, it seems like he's avoiding me!" I yelled at no one in my current abode.

"Maybe because I scared him away," I answered myself, doubting my own self worth.

I stood up, walked to wall across the way, and punched the wall leaving a fist-sized imprint into it.

"Shit!" I screamed as the throbbing pain went through my entire hand.

As soon as the pain subsided I knew what I had to do, book the first plane I could to Washington.

------

As I boarded the plane with just a backpack, I found my way through the plane to my seat in the economy plus seating. One it was the only thing I could purchase at such late notice and two, I really don't like sitting with some off the pretentious snobs that sit in first class even though I have the money to do so. I've dealt with them enough throughout the centuries and they never change in personality. I sat down and rummaged through my pack to look for my music player before sliding said pack under the seat in front of me. I put my headphones around my neck as I listened to the flight attendant explain the procedures of the flight. Fifteen minutes later I covered my ears with the headphones and closed my eyes listening to my favorite modern group.

-----

After claiming my baggage, I sauntered over to rental car shuttle stop and entered the one headed for Hertz. The ride on the way to the car rental place was dead quiet which was fine with me because after a few hundred years you just get tired of talking sometimes. The bus came to stop and I stepped down. I promptly went into the gold and brown building before me and to the first service desk available.

"Hello, may I help?" the young man with blond hair asked.

"Yes, I've come to pick up the car I've rented," I notified Hertz boy.

"All right. Name please?" he requested.

"Margaret Amherst."

"OK," he said as he typed my name into the computer database. "Looks like you have the 1990 Ford Festiva. Let me get the keys and some paper work for you to sign. Then you can be on your way."

He walked to the room in the back. I heard the shuffling of papers and jingling of keys. I began to tap my fingers on the blue faux marble designed customer service desk wondering when I was going to get out of here. _Patience is a virtue, Maggie,_ I thought to myself. Being almost 400 years old taught me patience, but that doesn't mean I've learned especially when a friends life was possibly on the line. _C'mon, C'mon,_ I pleaded in my head. Five minutes later, which it felt like it was longer than that, the blond boy came back to me.

"Sorry that took so long," he apologized with sincerity in his eyes. I almost snorted. That was nearly a rarity in today's generation. But then again I think all the time and they always surprise me. It's the ones that actually fit the bill that make it worse for everyone else.

"That's all right," I shook it off.

"Here's the keys and just sign where there's a read x," he told me as he handed the keys and the standard paper work.

I received the keys and signed with my current alias. I quickly handed the paper work back to him only to get the yellow copy of it back. "It's the blue-green one out there on the right. Thank you and have a good day, Miss Amherst."

"Thanks and you, too," I offered as I walked out the building and not really paying attention to anything else.

I walked as fast as I could to the car I had rented through the hordes of rental cars. I heard nothing except for my boot clicking against the pavement beneath my feet and the traffic from the highway. I felt the cold wind touch my bear skin and I without delay zipped up my navy blue blazer. I continued to march in the direction of the Ford until I spotted it. It was the only blue-green car in this section. I ran to it and swiftly stuck the key into the lock to open it. After opening it I threw my pack into the passenger seat and put my one suitcase into the backseat. I sat down for a brief second to ponder if I was doing the right thing. I came to the conclusion that I was. I put the key into the ignition and drove the 45 minute or longer drive to the part of town that Duncan lived in.


End file.
